Btw, in a spanish forum, we're trying to clone the EXDOS controller: Controladora de disco para Enterprise (http://www.retrowiki.es/fororw/viewtopic.php?f=679&t=31209)
It's only in spanish, sorry. Also, the forum engine is a bit retrictive and links are not shown to unregistered users :(; but I'll be happy to give you all details about the development.
I'll translate your suggestions to the thread.Please do it!
I suposse you mean swapping A: & B:.Yes, the change about the drive select and motor on wires.
I'm not sure if Enterprise uses /RDY, /DC and /DCreset signals...We are very lucky! (Thanks for Bruce and friends! :ds_icon_cheesygrin: )
And as I wrote in the other topic: use WD1772. It is exist a ROM version which are set the stepping rate default to 3ms.Do you noted this? :oops: Please also write to the developer.
Anyway I see on the photos: using version 1.3. It is can be possible the modified version which are not too godd choice for 1770, because the setting which are 3ms on 1722 30ms on 1770 :oops:
The :VAR 73 command what answering? 0 or 3?
0 good for 1770 (6ms stepping rate, this is the fastest on 1770), 3 good for 1772 (3ms)
This is my version of EXDOS (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LOcvW1g3h8).Nice!
For the time being attached pictures before and after renovation.Great work! But need a new ENTERPRISE label at the front and recreate the serial number :-)
In FDD connect pin 2 Disk Change signal, pin 34 Ready signalThese not used by EXDOS at default, then not important.
, pin 10 Drive A Select or pin 12 Drive B Select.Without this any drive can work as drive B:
Stickers I made myself in CorelDRAW.Can I ask the .CDR file?
The cost of the finished card EXDOS in the current version is 220 PLN (~ 55 EUR). With no drives.:oops: Well I don't know if I really understood the propositions correctly.:oops: ...
Which proposals Zozo do you mean? When it comes to just about twisted PC cable, the cost will not change. As for the HD version, or turbo, is yet to be over them don't even wondered.
Which proposals Zozo do you mean? When it comes to just about twisted PC cable, the cost will not change. As for the HD version, or turbo, is yet to be over them don't even wondered.Probably the turbo enough for the All-in-one card.
Zozosoft,Zozos position should be "EP legend" instead of "EP addict" :ds_icon_cheesygrin:
you post too much;P (counter hit 10000)
;D
Zozos position should be "EP legend" instead of "EP addict" :ds_icon_cheesygrin:The total number of posts on the forum is ~45000, so nearly one quarter written by one person...:shock:
Good looking, isn't it?Yes :)
They have used an old Speccy Divide case design to enclose it.What is a "Speccy Divide"?
What is a "Speccy Divide"?Divide (http://www.rwapsoftware.co.uk/spectrum/spectrum_storage.html)
What is a "Speccy Divide"?This is the divide, an HD interface for the Spectrum:
But anyway, it's nice :-)
Indeed, they work fine. Seems that 74LS38 were used instead 7438 and they're giving some problems. He replaced two of three with real 7438 and the card looked more stable, he's now waiting for some 7438 to keep testing with all three replaced. The card is in a very alpha stage tho...
I think that once the prototype works, some optimizations will be performed on it.
Something like that.Your work is admirable, but the screen makes me jump tears ......
EXDOS controller, 1MB of RAM, 512KB Flash and built-in FDD emulator drive with display (based on Gotek).
This is a preliminary draft and not yet counted the cost.
Recently, I have little time, so possible production time, it's probably early next year.
A few questions before I continued to work.
I used 8 MHz clock signal from the connector Enterprise.
Is it better to equip the card with its own generator ?
I also think about bridge-through connector on the right side, you can connect additional cards, but then probably the PCB will have to be 4-layers, which is more expensive.
Necessary ?
I think ...
I just bought on ebay from Hungary, one ExDOS card with the bridge and manual.This is that? (http://www.ebay.de/itm/Enterprise-128-EXDOS-card-FREE-worldwide-tracked-shipping-/232042407034?hash=item3606ce247a:g:t0wAAOSw65FXqK0B)
I'm not sure I understand correctly.It was a joke.
You cried in front of a monitor with happiness, whether your eyes are watering when you see such projects ? ;D
With what exactly I exaggerated in pure EP project ? :shock:
This is that? (http://www.ebay.de/itm/Enterprise-128-EXDOS-card-FREE-worldwide-tracked-shipping-/232042407034?hash=item3606ce247a:g:t0wAAOSw65FXqK0B)Yes.....
That screen is not seen good in a computer peripheral 1984I can not do anything :)
I can not do anything :)
More and more difficult for the components of that era :roll:
pera is pear in Spanish...And in Italian, too. :D
These are the prototypical items :) Not really beautiful :)
Fixed addressing. Decoder made on a single chip GAL.
In this version, I forgot about a few little things. I do not have far too many pics, because I have to refine the design.
This project is done in three days, because I was sorry to use the original FDD (serial number 607), which was barely saved.
For the time being attached pictures before and after renovation.
I have already received the ExDOS controller
What is the serial number of the card?
What does the red button do on the System Bus Bridge?
All original parts cleaned and restored.
or you can find on EP128.hu (http://ep128.hu/Ep_Emulator.htm) under Disk-image file-okThat page has an English version too. (http://ep128.hu/Ep_Emulator_eng.htm)
Just so that you are aware: current versions of EXDOS will not run from FLASH if write is enabled because it does a write to its "ROM" assuming it is harmless. :roll: (and EXOS does the same!).The problem only with certain FLASH chips which is using page mode (Winbond 29C,29EE and compatibles).
I have managed to put in this little box a Spanish EXDOS clone and my old HxC...
Atari Ajax Floppy Disk Controller
(The little known Atari Custom made Smart Upgrade chip)
History:
When Atari Japan was Designing / Engineering the First Generation Atari ST Computer (Atari 520ST Computer with external Power Supply and external Floppy Disk Drive) back in mid 1985 era, they based the first series Atari 16 bit computers on the Motorola 68000 16 bit 8Mhz CPU, it supporting chips like the Motorola Multi Function Peripheral (MFP) chip, and Atari Custom made ST Memory Management Unit (MMU), Glue (code named because it holds the ST System together), DMA (Direct Memory Access) and Video Shifter chips. In 1985 one of the State of the Art Floppy Disk Controller chips was the Western Digital WD1772 720K SSSD / DSDD Floppy Disk Controller chip. This is the ST Floppy Disk controller chip Atari Japan Engineering decided to use in the first Atari 520ST computer and all other Atari ST Computers right up the early 68000 16Mhz Atari TT Business Computers.
The subsequent Atari designed 68000 16 bit 8Mhz 1040STF, 520STFM, 1040STE, Mega 1/2/4, MegaSTE 68000 16Mhz and later 68000 32Mhz second generation TT Computers all used the same WD1772 Floppy Disk Controller chip to drive the ST SSSD or DSDD Floppy internal Disk Drive circuits over many years. As time marched on, Atari Engineering was asked by Atari Marketing to the upgrade the stock Atari Top line TT Business Computers 720K Internal Floppy disk drives to the Newer (for that era) 1.44 High Density (HD) Floppy standard.
Atari Japan Engineering challenge was to upgrade existing Atari TT Computers to the HD 1.44 Floppy Mechs without major circuit changes to the TT motherboards or major chip changes to on the TT Motherboards. What was finally decided, was to use hand selected / tested WD1772 chips and over clock them (run them at a faster chip clock speed 8Mhz to 16Mhz). The WD1772 chips were not originally designed run at the faster 16Mhz internal clock speed, but thru testing, some were found be able to run at the fast clock speed required for HD 1.44 Floppy operation. With some TT TOS Operating System upgrades (New version TT TOS), New 1.44 HD TT Floppy Disk mechs and the Hand selected / Tested WD1772 chips, Atari was able to upgrade all older / early 16Mhz Atari TT’s and Newer 32Mhz TT’s computers to the HD 1.44 Floppy Disk standard.
Obsolete WD1772 Chip:
Years down line when the newer Atari MegaSTE and Atari Falcon computers were being designed, the old WD1772 chips were becoming obsolete. Most Disk Controller chips of that era, were lucky to have a normal useful product life / run of 1 to 2 years at most. Atari had been using the WD1772 Floppy Disk Controller chip in ST computers close to 7+ years. Western Digital had not made any new production runs of WD1772 Disk Controller chips in years and could not be convinced to make a new run of that old Disk Controller chip. To support the older Atari ST computer line, Atari had the VLS Chip Company get a license from Western Digital and make a small new production run of the older standard WD1772 Disk Controller chip in a VLS labeled chip package for Atari.
But the writing was on the wall. Atari Engineering had to find a new ST Disk Drive Controller chip and do some ST Major chip set changes or whole new redesign on future Atari ST Computers in regards to the ST Floppy Circuit design. What Atari Engineering came up with was a new custom made Upgraded / Smart Disk Controller chip which was backward and forward compatible on all older ST computers and fully compatible on Falcon computers and future ST computers. That new smart chip is the Atari Ajax High Speed Floppy Disk Controller chip.
Ajax Chip:
The New Atari Custom made Ajax Disk Controller chip is 100% pin to pin fully backward compatible with the older WD1772 chip on all older ST and other Computer and devices that use the WD1772 Floppy Disk Controller chip. It is also a Smart Disk Controller Chip that can auto sense the input chip Mhz Clock speed and auto switch into the Newer HD 1.44 Floppy Mode standard. So a new state of the art Atari Ajax Disk Controller chip can be plugged into the first 1985 Atari 520ST computer made and drive the ST 720K SSSD / DSDD floppy internal or external Disk drive Mech. The same exact Atari Ajax chip can be plugged into the Floppy Disk circuit on the last state of the art Atari ST computer made, the 1992 Falcon 030 68000 16Mhz Computer and drive the Falcon 1.44 HD Floppy Circuit without any hardware changes.
.....
I have found an USA seller (http://www.best-electronics-ca.com) that has some juicy information about the WD1772 and the Atari Ajax clone:Todays I know these. But don't know anything about these when I created the Turbo EXDOS hack for handling HD disks on Enterprise.
First bus expander pcb mounted. It works as it should be....Looks good :)
An active Polish developer nicknamed Zaxxon is the creator. Probably Pear knows about him.Yes, I know him. Tomorrow we grill together :D
It comes already programmed with the FlashFloppy firmware.Is available direct mode programing documentation for it?
Yes, the config file seems to have more options.Documentation about it? :oops:
I have VL1772 chips for 9 EUR, which, as a replacement, work correctly in my cardIt is work with simple EXDOS Format command?
Documentation about it? :oops:
Here (https://github.com/keirf/FlashFloppy/wiki/FF.CFG-Configuration-File) you can find the possible options and defaults.What I want to know: how change the mounted images from the host computer?
Also, in this page (https://github.com/keirf/FlashFloppy/wiki/Initial-Setup) it is explained the three working modes of the firmware, the HxC mode left as a legacy mode, for Amiga, Atari ST, CPC and others.
What I want to know: how change the mounted images from the host computer?
I checked only the read and write. I did not check FORMAT :oops:I checked.
I will check.
Is 353 KB free the correct result ?Only if you use 360K drive :oops:
This is a 3.5 "DD / HD drive with a DD diskette.Which model? I will try to check same.
I tested today the FORMAT command on another card with the original WD1772.It is looks the know slow-drive-DD-detection bug, not releated about the controller type.
The behavior is identical. The first FORMAT gives the result of 353 KB, and the second (with the trick) of 712 KB.
I use FAFO25, this works always flawless without tricking.:ds_icon_cheesygrin:
The EXDOS Compact card without the WD1772 chip costs 49 EUR.Can I ask a prices without ROM chip and 1772? And full complete with 256K Flash and 1772?
I ordered a dozen more PCBs.:smt038
It should be enough.
The price of the WD1772 chip has increased to a ridiculous level.WD1770 and VL1772 also can be used.
Same. Prices start at $ 25 per piece right now. In addition, it is becoming increasingly difficult to access.I see VL1772 for a 12.95€, WD1770 for a 5-10$ on Ebay.
I'm starting to think about a replacement in CPLD or FPGA.Anyway will be good idea!
I see VL1772 for a 12.95€, WD1770 for a 5-10$ on Ebay.Anyway will be good idea!I bought 10 pieces of VL1772 on eBay for 15 EUR/pc.
Unfortunately, ALL of them can't properly format a floppy disk.What happen with my FAFO?
FAFO formating. (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Dw4b9ENwGlvl2bCSvZaGh51dXHisu6Gf/view?usp=sharing) Works normally :ds_icon_cheesygrin: I don't know yet which are help: using my own WD177x routines instead of EXDOS DISKIO? Or just the reverse direction formating, where Step Out used instead the Step In?
The defective VL works properly in the Timex FDD3000 disk drive.Least one place where it is working :-)
In the original, WD1770 was used there.EXDOS originaly also use 1770. (http://ep.homeserver.hu/Galery/Bovitmenyek/Picture/EXDOSPCB1.JPG)
Maybe your FAFO works a little slower than the original FORMAT ?No, it is FAst FOrmat :-)
Same COPY with the bad chip. (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DrExZ1CbMVMDdyg2OEfYSMfIxHoHJrom/view?usp=sharing) There is some extra head movement. The EXDOS retry mechanism handled it, no error, just about 15-16 secs longer the operation than the normal.Update: it is only with EXDOS 3, with EXDOS 1.x about 35 Not read question during the COPY :oops:
The defective VL works properly in the Timex FDD3000 disk drive.I think I found the problem:
In the original, WD1770 was used there.
Perhaps the faulty VL have a problem with stabilizing parameters when working with shorter access times ?
Maybe your FAFO works a little slower than the original FORMAT ?
Probably that Timex drives also only use Step commands. There is disassembly of their ROM?It looks like it is :)
Are you sure those 813 V L657S are working ?What happen finaly with your chips?
Because I can to exchange them.
Finally, the seller replaced the faulty chips with other from 813V L657S series.Great news!
This series works fine. I checked all the pieces.
For a change, IMO, they makes too hot. I did not check to what temperature.Yes, it is a know the VL are more hot than WD.
It is possible that overheating will cause some errors, but this should be carefully checked.But this is only make a problem when overclocking to 16MHz for using a HD disks.
This version of VL1772 works best.Nice young one :-) Manufactured in 1992.
Now I ordered cheap 5x pack WD1770 from a Aliexpress (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33021653998.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.708f45cb8mgj9S&algo_pvid=9f3953e9-c722-4c72-b685-5f55dec7fdd4&algo_expid=9f3953e9-c722-4c72-b685-5f55dec7fdd4-1&btsid=f822e465-2e02-4039-898c-32c006c5aa64&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_9,searchweb201603_60) Let's see these are working or not :-)Arrived :ds_icon_cheesygrin:
Is it a proven supplier ? Someone has already shopped there ?
Payment by card only directly from the site. Too risky without checking.
I have found some tested WD1772 00-02 chips on this UK page.
I took a good bath with that ...This is the first version of the card. Very rare ;) There are only 5 of them.
Then I have a sales box for version 2.0Nekem jöhetne, ha eladó lenne.
But I found 1770 and bought them. There is only one question that worries me. Will the 1770 work on an EXDOS v.2.0 board?Yes, it will work. The only important difference is the step rates, with the 1770 6,12,20,30ms is possible, with 1772 6,12,2,3.